This decision is for ‘purely financial reasons’: Stephen Colbert says CBS blocked Texas lawmaker James Talarico's interview over FCC ‘equal time’ fears

Stephen Colbert claimed that CBS barred him from interviewing Texas state representative James Talarico, citing legal fears linked to new federal guidance on political airtime issued by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr, whom Colbert called a “smug bowling pin”.

Opening The Late Show, Colbert introduced his band and guest Jennifer Garner before asking the audience: “You know who is not one of my guests tonight? That’s Texas state representative James Talarico.”